Christian Weisenburger Law, Inc. . Halifax, Nova Scotia . blog . Halifax business, corporate, estate/will, commercial, tax lawyer . beyond the box law

I heard a number of presentations at the Hub today at a series called Mobil Tech 4 Social Change, two of which in particular will change my life and have triggered some thoughts:

1.  The ideas.  

(1)  aggregation of otherwise wasted moments through volunteering

You have a mobile device.  Use it.  For good.    

• barrier.  Each of my roommates has expressed a desire to volunteer over the last year.  What has stopped them?  They can’t find opportunities.  The “application” process to give is too onerous (query why you need to apply to give).  Minimum time commitments are required (and are generally scheduled at the organization’s discretion).  They don’t know what tasks need to be done and therefore don’t know if they even want to apply.
• bridge.  Imagine an on-line dating like website where you can find your true volunteer love by scrolling through the profiles.  Imagine the not for profit organization listing the tasks that need done so that you can pick and choose which tasks from which organization you will do today.  Imagine no obligation.  You pick and choose to do as little or as much as you want.  Imagine being able to do your work through your iPhone at a stoplight, while waiting for a plane or by the ocean. Imagine competing with other users to do the most good, so that you too can be better than the Jones’ (measured by karma points and not by wealth).
• details.  The Extraordinaires, introduced at the session today by its brilliant co-founder Jacob Colker, plays matchmaker.  If you have a mobile, no matter where you are, it will with a couple clicks connect you to the volunteering opportunities you seek (once beta testing is done).  
• examples.  Translate a 10 second clip from an important documentary (allowing for greater access).  Describe the shape of a constellation for science (something which you will be able to do better than computers for at least the next few decades).  Review, on behalf of a watchdog, a couple paragraphs of proposed legislation before it is rushed through parliament in the morning.  If you are a doctor, use it to identify cancer on a mammogram (over and over again while waiting in line).  

This project will change the world.  Similar to how Obama was elected on a dollar here and there, the future belongs to organizations that have time donated 6 minutes here and there.  

(2)  sending medical information to isolated communities using your garbage

Imagine connecting villages and people in developing nations, that would otherwise have little or no access to medical information, to the people that can help through text messaging.  90% of the world is accessible by cell phone networks (if only they could afford cell phones).  Imagine collecting used cell phones in developed countries to supply these communities with a vital link to information.  Imagine, in the absence of electricity, solar panels to keep the phones charged.  Josh Nesbit of SMS Medic (http://www.hopephones.org) did.  It was incredible hearing him speak.  (Donations of used phones can be made at the Hub or according to the instruction’s on hope phones’ site). 

2.  The cream.  The innovators described above did not wait to rise up a corporate chain.

3.  The medium.  They have acquired international goodwill without significant financial investment or marketing and without the traditional sources of power (e.g. financial wealth or access thereto, age or “experience”).  Their ideas, their determination and their brilliance have spoken.  They have been heard through the Internet and social marketing.   

4.  The doers.  The world has doers and it has dreamers.  It is always such a pleasure to meet people that are both, especially where their doings and optimism are directed at making the world a better place.   

5.  The Hub.   I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by such people at the Hub, including Dale Zak, who founded and organized the event.  Dale has played a significant role in the development of the Extraordinaires and is a great example of the talent that has and is collecting in Halifax.